Understaffing in nursing homes is a major problem in the United States. The need for nursing home staff is growing, but the number of staff members is dwindling. Many nursing homes find themselves understaffed, and with staff members that are overworked. This situation can lead to problems with nursing home care.
If you or a loved one is injured in the care of a nursing home that is understaffed, consult a Tucson understaffing lawyer to discuss your legal options. You may be able to seek compensation for your expenses because of the poor treatment by the facility. Call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to speak to a member of our legal team about your case.
Signs of Understaffing
Understaffing may not be readily apparent when examining a nursing home. Staff members do the best that they can to adjust to the low staffing levels and provide quality care. However, this is not always the case. There are some signs that you can look for that usually point to understaffing. These signs include:
- Poor facility maintenance: If the facility itself is not being cared for, then it is unlikely to have enough staff members to help with the cleaning. A buildup of dirt, trash, and unfixed maintenance issues are signs that there is no one on staff to fix them.
- Poor personal hygiene: Patients that have poor personal hygiene may indicate that there are not enough staff members to help with personal hygiene.
- Aggravated staff members: When staff members become aggravated, it could be a sign that they are being overworked to do the job of multiple staff members.
- Bedsores: Bedsores happen when a person stays in the same position for too long. If the nursing staff is not large enough to help everyone that needs mobility assistance, they could develop bedsores.
There are other signs of understaffing that are not covered on this list. Understaffing in nursing homes leads to medical problems for patients and can lead to nursing home abuse. Any signs of understaffing or abuse should be reported to the authorities and fully investigated to protect patients.
Prevalence of Understaffing
Nursing home understaffing has become a prevalent problem in the United States. PBS reports on national issues affecting communities and found that government studies indicate that most nursing homes are understaffed. If not resolved, the care quality of nursing homes will be compromised. This could lead to an increasing number of cases of nursing home abuse and other related problems.
For a free legal consultation with a Understaffing Lawyer serving Tucson, call (800) 794-0444
Dangers of Understaffing
Understaffing in nursing homes is especially dangerous for patients. They need care regularly but being short on staff members stops facilities from providing the level of care that patients need. As a result, patients in nursing home care face a greater risk of being injured or having unmet medical needs.
According to Inquiry, major nursing home chains are not improving staffing levels to help with the understaffing problem. There is a lack of personnel to fill all of the open roles, but nursing homes are also not hiring as much as they need to. The combination of these two problems is leaving nursing homes understaffed and leaving patients at risk.
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Reasons to Hire a Lawyer
Hiring a lawyer is a big decision. If your loved one is injured in an understaffed nursing home, it may be a good option to help you deal with many of the problems and expenses that you will be left with afterward. Some of the reasons to hire a lawyer are:
- Medical expenses: If you have medical expenses because of the lack of care that your loved one received, then hiring a lawyer can help you recover compensation.
- Injuries from negligent care: If your loved one received injuries in the care of a nursing facility, then there will most likely be additional medical expenses. Hiring a lawyer can help you seek compensation for these expenses.
- Death: If a loved one dies in the care of the facility, hiring a lawyer can help you investigate and recover compensation to cover their final expenses.
- Suspected nursing home abuse: If you have a reason to suspect nursing home abuse, a lawyer can help you build a case. Lawyers can investigate and involve the authorities when needed to help you or your loved one.
There are other reasons to hire a lawyer that are not covered on this list. If you are concerned about the care received in a nursing home, then you should investigate. Call a Tucson understaffing lawyer to see if you have legal options to address the problems that you are experiencing.
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Understanding Your Rights
If your loved one is injured in a nursing facility, then they may be entitled to compensation. Nursing facilities have an obligation to protect patients and ensure that they receive the right care. When this does not happen, these facilities can be held accountable. You have the right to file a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit to recover compensation.
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Statute of Limitations
Helping your family member recover from their injuries can be a stressful time. However, it is important that you decide on your legal options as soon as possible. Arizona, like most other states, has a statute of limitations regarding personal injury cases. You have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit, and it begins the day the injury happened. To avoid missing your chance to file a case, consult a lawyer as soon as you are able. This will give the lawyer time to review the case, investigate, and build a case for the lawsuit.
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Deciding to take legal action against a care facility can be a big step in your family’s recovery. Before you do, consult a Tucson understaffing lawyer to discuss your case. There are many details to look into when building a case. Your lawyer can uncover the details and evidence that you need with enough time to investigate.
Contact Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to discuss your case with a member of our legal team. The initial consultation is always free for nursing home abuse victims and their families.
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